as in gradual
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees
a piecemeal attempt to remedy the traffic congestion
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1
as in gradually
by small steps or amounts
remodeled their house piecemeal because of budgetary constraints
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Recent Examples of piecemeal
David Ingram, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
The series focuses on the piecemeal nature of the investigation but also the way in which the investigation was only advocated for by the families of the women whose bodies were found, a grieving sisterhood united in advocacy.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
David Hambling, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
In the years since, the insurgent creator economy has tempted more journalists away to run upstart operations, and consumers have grown increasingly accustomed to paying piecemeal for access to individual writers.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Adjective
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the White House is weighing executive action that could dismantle the department in a piecemeal fashion, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
The series focuses on the piecemeal nature of the investigation but also the way in which the investigation was only advocated for by the families of the women whose bodies were found, a grieving sisterhood united in advocacy.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
Adverb
At present they are used piecemeal, one at a time.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
In the years since, the insurgent creator economy has tempted more journalists away to run upstart operations, and consumers have grown increasingly accustomed to paying piecemeal for access to individual writers.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Cite this Entry
“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piecemeal. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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